John Chupco (ca. 1821–1881) was a leader of the ''Hvteyievlke'', or Newcomer, Band of the

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...

during the time of their forced relocation to

Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...

.May, Jon D
"Chupco, John (ca. 1821–1881)."
''Oklahoma Historical Society's Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.'' Retrieved 29 Jan 2012. They were the last group to move from Florida to Indian Territory. From 1861 to 1866, Chupco served as chief of the Seminole who supported the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

; they removed to Kansas for safety. There was great bitterness when the tribe divided over their loyalties during the war, with many supporting the Confederacy. Afterward Chupco and his band returned to Indian Territory, working to rebuild the tribe.

Early life and education

John Chupco was born into a Seminole family in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. He grew up in traditional ways.

Career

By the time of the

forced relocation, Chupco was chief of the Hvteyievlke Band, which he led from Florida to Indian Territory under

Indian Removal Indian removal was the United States government policy of forced displacement of self-governing tribes of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands in the eastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi Riverspecifically, to a de ...

. In 1861 when the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

began, Chupco served as town chief. He refused to sign a treaty between the Seminole and the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

. The Seminole leadership and members split over their alliances in the war, as did the

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

. Chupco's tribal town followed

Opothleyahola Opothleyahola, also spelled Opothle Yohola, Opothleyoholo, Hu-pui-hilth Yahola, Hopoeitheyohola, and Hopere Yahvlv (c. 1778 – March 22, 1863) was a Muscogee Creek Indian chief, noted as a brilliant orator. He was a Speaker of the Upper Cre ...

, the

Muscogee Creek The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsKansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

for safety. There Chupco enlisted in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

and ultimately became a first sergeant in Company F, First Regiment,

Indian Home Guard The Indian Home Guard was a series of volunteer infantry regiments recruited from the Five Civilized Tribes of the Indian Territory to support the Union during the American Civil War. There was also a series of Confederate units of Indian Territ ...

. From 1861-1866, Chupco served as chief of the Seminole who supported the Union. After the war, he served as a Southern Treaty Commission Delegate.

John Jumper John Jumper may refer to: * John Jumper (Seminole chief), principal chief of the Seminole Nation * John M. Jumper, AI researcher * John P. Jumper John Phillip Jumper (born February 4, 1945) is a retired United States Air Force general, who serv ...

led the Seminoles who had been allied with the Confederacy. Because of that group's alliance with the Confederacy, the United States insisted that the Seminole tribe had to sign a new treaty after the war. The split between these Seminole groups lasted until 1872, at which time the majority of the tribe elected Jumper as chief. During

Reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology *Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *'' Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...

, Chupco encouraged his tribe to rebuild their nation. In 1869, he joined the

Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

congregation in

Wewoka, Oklahoma Wewoka is a city in Seminole County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,271 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Seminole County. Founded by a freedman, John Coheia, and Black Seminoles in January, 1849, Wewoka is the capital ...

. He became a farmer and rancher. He resisted the creation of

Oklahoma Territory The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as th ...

, as he was concerned that opening up the area to European-American settlement would damage the future of the Seminole.

Death

John Chupco died on February 17, 1881, in the Seminole Nation.

Notes

References

"Hvteyievike Band."
Accessed 08/29/06.

Accessed 12/06/06.

External links